Martellus Bennett figured he did enough in his first season with the Giants to make a compelling case for himself as the long-term answer at tight end. After all, he is 26 years old and ended up as the team’s second-leading receiver with 55 catches.

But that’s not the way it’s going to be for Bennett. He might return to the Giants, but it will not be before the start of free agency, as he’s set to hit the open market on Tuesday as an unrestricted free agent.

Last week, Bennett tweeted he wasn’t “feeling the love’’ from the Giants, and he’s going to have to look for some financial satisfaction elsewhere before perhaps doubling back to the Giants. Bennett’s salary in 2012 was $975,000 on a one-year, $1.8 million contract.

“I remain in contact with the Giants, we both have shared our ideas on Martellus being a Giant,’’ Bennett’s agent, Kennard McGuire, told The Post. “I am certain we will continue those talks.’’

Bennett spent his first four NFL seasons with the Cowboys but was never able to escape the shadow cast by starting tight end Jason Witten. He hoped to establish a new home with the Giants and proved to be a capable target for Eli Manning and a developing blocker in the run game.

Nevertheless, the Giants have a history of not breaking the bank for their tight ends, because they won their past two Super Bowls with steady, unspectacular (and low-priced) tight ends Kevin Boss and Jake Ballard filling prominent roles. They re-signed Bear Pascoe and have second-year Adrien Robinson on the roster at tight end.